Marlborough School Committee Posts $76.25M FY25 Budget for Public Hearing

MARLBOROUGH -- March 26, 2024, Marlborough School Committee votes 5-1-1 to post a $76,252,690 FY25 school budget for a public hearing moved up to April 9. Superintendent Kevin Murphy said the accelerated schedule was requested by the city so the School Committee's approved budget can reach the City Council ahead of a May 6 presentation. The committee also unanimously approved the district's three-year Student Opportunity Act plan for submission to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education by an April 1 deadline. One committee member, identified as Matthews, voted against the posting, stating publicly she preferred a figure of $76,616,990 to address diversity-related supports the committee had set aside during budget workshops: "I do feel that there were some items that, in my heart, I feel like they needed to move forward." The committee separately accepted $204,739 in donations and reimbursements, including $70,000 from the Brookline Center to offset the cost of the Cartwheel mental health platform and $129,739 in foster care transportation reimbursements. Director of Finance and Operations Tom LaFleur reported the district's MSBA Richer School project is on track for an April 24 Board of Directors vote on entry into the feasibility phase.